Electronic Weather Observation Reporting and Recording System
| Curriculums offered to: | CSIS, CE (self-proposed) |
| Number of students: | 1-2 |
| Collaborator | HKObservatory |
Introduction
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) operates an Airport Meteorological Office (AMO) at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). Weather around HKIA is observed at prescribed time intervals and reports of weather are compiled and disseminated to various users. Currently, weather observational data are recorded on log books manually. The aim of this project is to devise a means for electronic recording and reporting of weather observations. In particular, the student is required to design and develop a system for:
- automatic inputting as well as manual inputting of weather observations into the system via a user-customizable user-interface;
- performing quality-check of inputted weather observational data based on prescribed criteria;
- compiling the weather observational data into reports of prescribed formats for dissemination to users;
- recording the weather observations electronically for future retrieval;
- displaying current and past weather observations.
Discovering Weather Systems on Numerical Models using Data Mining
| Curriculums offered to: | CSIS, CE (self-proposed) |
| Maximum number of students: | 2 |
| Collaborator | HKObservatory |
Introduction
To develop an efficient software which can be used to "mine" the relationship between NWP model fields and remote sensing data such as satellite clouds and/or radar echoes based on data mining method. Major application of this project will be to help forecaster to interpret more accurately the NWP products, particularly the cloud and rainfall patterns.
Gamelan score typesetting system
| Curriculums offered to: | CSIS, CogSc, CE (self-proposed) |
| Maximum number of students: | 2 |
| Collaborator | Department of Music, HKU |
Introduction
The Indonesian gamelan is a set of gong-chime type of percussion instruments. The department of music has devised a way to transcribe Balinese gamelan music into a "box" (table-like) notation to help nonmusicians to learn the music. Currently, the transcriptions are typeset using LaTeX+MusiXTeX typesetting system. Yet, it is expected that sheet music using Western music notation, and possibly other forms, are needed in the future. A system that can run on Windows and Macintosh platforms is needed to enter, store, and typeset those music.
How does Balinese gamelan look like? Here are some of the instruments:
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| CengCeng | Jegog | Kantil | Kendang | Kempur | Suling |
A photo (courtesy Dorothy Cheung) of a recent performance shows how they look like when they're put together.
| How does it sound like? Here it is a page containing some information and a Quicktime movie on a performance in Bali. More information about gamelan can be obtained at a website for the courses MUSI2004 and MUSI3008 |
Here it is the sheet music (PDF format) for the box notation of one of the pieces, and here it is the Western music notation of the same piece. The LaTeX source for the box notation and that for the Western music notation are here. (Don't bother to compile it though, a number of other support files are needed.)
This is mainly an system implementation project. Students taking this project are expected to be fluent in programming. To understand the notation we have developed, students are expected to have learnt, or will learn the basics of Balinese gamelan music. Though not required, those who have enrolled, or will enrol, the following courses are highly preferred:
| MUSI1012 | Ensemble Music Performance (Gamelan) | (3 credits) |
| MUSI2004 | University Gamelan 1 | (3 credits) |
| MUSI2033 | Music and Culture in Bali: an Overseas Fieldtrip | (6 credits) |
| MUSI3008 | University Gamelan 2 | (3 credits) |
XML-based non-Western music editor
| Curriculums offered to: | CSIS, CogSc, CE (self-proposed), Music |
| Maximum number of students: | 2 |
| Collaborator | Department of Music, HKU |
Administration
This project is offered as CSIS0801 Final Year Project of the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, and also MUSI3013 Directed Study of the Department of Music.
The supervisors of this project are YIP Chi Lap [Beta] from the department of Computer Science and Information System, and Manolete MORA from the department of Music. The main supervisor for CSIS, CogSc and CE students is Beta. Mano will be the main supervisor for Music students.
Introduction
Most music notation systems are designed with Western music in mind. Support for non-Western music is rather limited. The aim of the project is to develop a music editor that supports a number of non-Western music, such as those for Indonesian Gamelan, cecak, or Chinese guqin. XML should be used to represent the music.
There are design elements in the project: the student should study a number of non-Western music genres to see how they are notated, review critically how the notations can be supported by a computer system, identify the common elements of these notation systems, suggest new methods of notations if needed, and write a music editor supporting the editing of these notations. Expert advice on non-Western music will be given by the music department.
CSIS, CogSc and CE students taking the project are expected to have a basic understanding of music. For example, able to read scores in Western music notation or cipher notation:
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Western music notation:
- Cipher notation: 1 1 5 5 6 6 5- 4 4 3 3 2 2 1- 5 5 4 4 3 3 2- 5 5 4 4 3 3 2- 1 1 5 5 6 6 5- 4 4 3 3 2 2 1-
Music department students taking it as a MUSI3013 Directed Study project should have a basic understanding of programming and preferably HTML. Advice regarding computer-related issues will be given by the supervisor in the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems.
Resources
- A guqin transcription at http://www.silkqin.com/07play/xwctrns.htm (A local copy)
- Box notation of Indonesian Gamelan
IT Portal of HKBWS
| Curriculums offered to: | SE |
| Maximum number of students: | 3 |
| Collaborator | HKBWS |
Introduction
An IT Plan was prepared by the CSIS students in early 2004 as part of their FYP. It is recommended to set up a Portal to combine the different database systems adopted by HKBWS into an integrated system to facilitate the data input, analysis and sharing. Students are required to further develop the memberships records system, on-line submission system and a new system for activities records and migrate the Portal/systems to HKBWS's existing servers.
Knowledge Management of HKBWS
| Curriculums offered to: | SE |
| Maximum number of students: | 2 |
| Collaborator | HKBWS |
Introduction
An IT Plan was prepared by the CSIS students in early 2004 as part of their FYP. It was recommended in the IT Plan that the Society should develop a knowledge management system to handle various types of information, e.g. reports, press releases, articles, newspaper cutting, books, photos, etc. produced and received by the Society. Students are required to study in detail the various types of information produced and received by the Society and develop a database serving as a part of the Portal for the Society and her members to collect, classify, analyze, file and retrieve them through computer system and internet.
Bird tracking system
| Curriculums offered to: | CSIS, CE (self-proposed) |
| Maximum number of students: | 2 |
| Collaborator | HKBWS |
Introduction
To study the Black Kites at various locations and the waders at boardwalk.
Black Kites usually congregate over a valley at dusk, circling over it for some time before they roost in a tree. A system analyzing videos of the valley and birds is to be written to find out their flight lines and the number of birds in the area.
Waders at Mai Po broadwalk groups in hundreds to ten thousands and are usually relatively far away from observation points. They only fly occassionally in response to sea level changes and predator attacks. Photos or videos of them can be taken and a system be written to estimate the number of them.
Students with experience taking video and photos are highly preferred.
Songs of birds
| Curriculums offered to: | CogSc |
| Maximum number of students: | 2 |
| Collaborator | HKBWS |
Introduction
Although the term "birdwatching" seems to convey the idea that the sense of vision is the most important in the activity, expert birdwatchers can often locate birds and identify the species by listening to their songs only.
The project consists of a number of parts:
- To survey in the literature how people may identify birds by listening to their songs (psychoacoustics, memory and recall, etc.)
- Given a number of bird songs from the HKBWS, analyze the features that may lead to their identification
- Implement a simple recognizer of bird songs and evaluate its effectiveness when different features are used